Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA)’s robotics division is undergoing a leadership transition, with the head of engineering for its Optimus humanoid robot program Milan Kovac stepping down.
Kovac, who had been with Tesla for more than nine years, cited personal reasons, specifically, a desire to spend more time with family overseas, for his departure. His final day with the company was Friday.
Kovac made the announcement via a statement on social media platform X, describing it “the most difficult decision of my life.”
“I’ve been far away from home for too long, and will need to spend more time with family abroad. I want to make it clear that this is the only reason, and has absolutely nothing to do with anything else,” he wrote. “My support for Elon Musk and the team is ironclad – Tesla team forever.”
Over the past 9+ years, I’ve had the immense privilege to work with some of the most brilliant minds in AI & engineering. I’ve built friendships that will last a lifetime.
This week, I’ve had to make the most difficult decision of my life and will be moving out of my position.… pic.twitter.com/ENwYRDQkMO
— Milan Kovac (@_milankovac_) June 6, 2025
Ashok Elluswamy, who currently leads Tesla’s Autopilot software teams, will assume responsibility for the Optimus project, according to a Bloomberg report.
Optimus, a humanoid robot initiative unveiled by Tesla CEO Elon Musk in 2021, has become central to the company’s long-term strategy.
Musk has repeatedly described the robots as one of the company’s most important products, projecting that they could contribute to Tesla reaching a $25 trillion market capitalization.
As recently as March, Musk said the company aims to produce 5,000 units by the end of 2025 and up to 50,000 by 2026.
Shares of Tesla were unchanged on the development, trading hands at about $295 on Monday morning.